CLEARFIELD — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that surface treatment operations, more commonly known as “oil and chip,” will result in delays on a pair of roads in Cameron County this week.

This maintenance treatment seals the road surface to keep water out, restores the friction of the surface to enhance traction, and extends the pavement life between resurfacings.

Weather permitting, PennDOT Cameron County Maintenance crews plan to complete these operations on Route 120 between Route 872 and the Cameron-Clinton County line and on Route 872 between the entrance to Sinnemahoning State Park and Sunrise Court this week.

Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours. PennDOT urges drivers to reduce their speed on roads that have received this treatment during the curing period or to consider alternate routes.

PennDOT typically employs surface treatments as a preservation strategy on roads with low traffic volumes and speed limits of 35 mph or slower. This activity extends the life of those roads by keeping water out, which mitigates the damage caused by the freeze-thaw cycle of Pennsylvania winters and delays the formation of potholes and the oxidization process.

In recent years, PennDOT District 2 has expanded its use of seal coating to roadways with higher traffic volumes and speed limits of 55 mph or faster as it strives to effectively manage and preserve its assets while being good stewards of taxpayer money.